Lightning beat Mavericks to keep pressure on Thunder

Loughborough Lightning kept the pressure on Netball Super League leaders Manchester Thunder with victory over Saracens Mavericks.

Goal shooter Mary Cholhok scored 65 goals as the defending champions defeated Mavericks 68-60, with Rhea Dixon adding the other three.

Lightning had a brief spell at the top of the table before Thunder beat Severn Stars 61-46 later on Friday.

"It was really physical, it was not easy," Cholhok said after the win.

Player of the match Cholhok, who leads the Super League's scoring charts with 487 goals, added: "It was a great team performance. We expect so much from ourselves, it's a win of over seven, but we could have won by more."

Lightning head coach Vic Burgess added: "We said it wasn't perfect, but these games are getting harder, teams have had more time to connect. There's been lots of learning."

Meanwhile, Mavericks head coach Camilla Buchanan said she "couldn't be prouder" of her side's performance, having lost to Lightning by 22 goals earlier in the season.

"There's that winner in me that wants these guys to be triumphant, but there were triumphs all the way through that performance," Buchanan said.

Manchester Thunder keep their place at the top of the Super League table thanks to a better goal difference over Loughborough.

Paige Reed scored 28 points off the bench for the Thunder, with goal attack Lois Pearson adding 25 against Severn Stars.

Meanwhile, Strathclyde Sirens are still searching for their first win after suffering a 55-44 defeat by Leeds Rhinos.

Joyce Mvula was the top scorer, coming off the bench to add 26 goals for the Rhinos, who sit seventh in the table.

Surrey Storm jumped above Cardiff Dragons to fifth with a narrow 58-55 win over the Welsh side, while third placed London Pulse host Team Bath in the weekend's final fixture at 19:00 BST on Saturday.